[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7648-7649]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3639]
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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Project Impact: Building Disaster Resistant Communities
AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
ACTION: Notice of funds and grant availability.
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SUMMARY: FEMA gives notice of the availability of $25 million of
appropriated grant funds to pre-determined Project Impact communities
(see list in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION) and States with Project Impact
communities.
DATES: Grant funds are available as of February 16, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Approved communities have received grant application
packages. States with approved Project Impact communities that have not
already received grant application materials should contact their FEMA
regional office.
FOR POINT OF CONTACT INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Transou, Federal
Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street SW., room 402, Washington, DC
20472, (202) 646-3701, (telefax) (301) 646-3231, or (email)
carol.transou@fema.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under Public Law 105-276, 112 Stat. 2461,
Department of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development and
Independent Agencies Appropriation Act, 1999, we are issuing today a
Request for Application (RFA) to implement a $25 million grant program
that is limited to Project Impact communities and to States with
Project Impact communities.
Community grants. The community grant is available to designated
Project Impact communities to facilitate the development and
implementation of a comprehensive, long-term mitigation strategy
through collaboration with private sector and non-profit organizations,
and with local, State and Federal government partners. Within this
framework, the community grant is to fund prevention projects that
result in long-term reductions in property damage as well as contribute
to the sustainability of the partnership.
State grants. The State grant is available to States with a Project
Impact community through the FEMA Performance Partnership Agreement/
Cooperative Agreement process for activities that directly support
Project Impact communities.
Who is eligible for grants? The community that a State has
designated, with FEMA concurrence, as a Project Impact community is
eligible for a community grant. Each State with a Project Impact
community is eligible for a state grant.
What are mitigation measures? Mitigation measures generally are
those projects and actions that reduce the potential losses to life and
property from natural hazard events in a permanent or long-term manner.
Communities will categorize mitigation projects as: (1) Mitigation for
existing structures; (2) Mitigation of existing infrastructure, utility
facilities, and transportation systems that are publicly owned and
operated on a non-profit basis; (3) Adoption of policies or practices
for mitigation in existing structures, development or redevelopment;
(4) Activities that lead to building or sustaining public/private
partnerships, or that support public awareness of mitigation; (5)
Hazard identification and risk assessment; (6) Mitigation of new
construction; and (7) Personnel support.
What is the process for applying? For designated community
assistance, communities must submit a grant application package to
FEMA. FEMA regions will work with the communities to complete this
application package. The community must submit the application to the
FEMA Regional Director on or before March 15, 1999.
For State funding assistance, the State with a Project Impact
community must submit a letter or memorandum to the Regional Director
indicating its desire for funds to support the Project Impact community
by convening an inclusive forum of State agencies for the purpose of
developing an implementation strategy and commitment documents. This
document will delineate comprehensive integration of mitigation in
State agencies' daily operations. Additionally, the State should agree
to coordinate and communicate with FEMA regions on Project Impact
activities, meetings, etc.
What criteria will FEMA apply to grant applications? For a
designated
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community, we will review and negotiate with the local jurisdiction to
determine whether the proposed activities would: (1) Reduce the
likelihood of future disaster costs under the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and (2) help sustain the
community's momentum in broad-based mitigation efforts. We describe
activities that the community may pursue in the previous section
entitled ``What are mitigation measures.''
A State with a Project Impact community must agree to use the funds
in direct support of the Project Impact community and to convene
statewide support for comprehensive hazard mitigation. For example, a
State may use the FEMA funding to support Project Impact communities:
To fund State activities in direct support of Project
Impact communities such as travel, costs associated with logistics and
meetings, and staff support;
To fund State travel costs to FEMA Project Impact
meetings;
To fund training of State officials supporting Project
Impact;
To provide mini-grants to Project Impact communities to
augment or expedite Project Impact activities;
To fund travel of local community officials to other
communities, state meetings or national conferences at State request to
share Project Impact information;
To fund State costs in information development and
dissemination in support of Project Impact;
To fund development of training packages for State and
local officials;
To fund expert, short-term technical assistance support to
Project Impact communities.
Dated: February 4, 1999.
Michael J. Armstrong,
Associate Director, Mitigation Directorate.
[FR Doc. 99-3639 Filed 2-12-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-04-P
